There are two smaller arms conferences in the West that we consider to be the most important in the world for serious members of the small arms community to attend: the NDIA Small Arms Symposium (now called Future Force Capabilities, and tied-in with Fuze and Demil) held every September in the U.S., and what was the Small Arms and Cannon Symposium and is now the Close Combat Symposium at Shrivenham, held every July in the U.K. While there are many excellent, larger trade shows that have some educational aspects to them, these two conferences stand out as events that encourage dialogue between the shakers and movers in the small arms industry. There are differences between the two events, and how they are focused. NDIA is the larger of the two and has been expanded in scope quite a bit beyond Small Arms, but the sister event at Shrivenham has a very intimate quality that keeps it popular with attendees, and important to the community.

The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom sponsors many defense related scholarly events every year. The Symposia at Shrivenham had its 22nd annual Small Arms event in July 2023. The normal schedule was followed: two days of short lectures on various subjects interspersed with breaks taken in the trade show exhibit area to share coffee, snacks, lunch, and tea with the exhibitors. The middle day, Wednesday, is at the COTEC range for live fire demonstrations by exhibitors. This is hands-on time for the attendees and is quite popular. This format has worked quite well in the past allowing breaks from the lectures and close interaction with the exhibitors.

There were quite a few interesting items of note from the first presentation alone. The Symposium is under Chatham House Rules, meaning we can discuss what we learned, but not who from. First, we were informed that, contrary to industry scuttlebutt, the British military will be staying with the 5.56x45mm cartridge until after 2036. You could hear a pin drop in the room after that. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that the Royal Marines, along with the British Army’s Rangers, recently selected the KAC KS-1 as the L403A1 Alternative Individual Weapon. The order is on the magnitude of 10,000 rifles and accessories in the first order. It’s expected that there may be a sea change from the SA80A2 system to the L403A1, which is a 5.56mm AR variant. That could be about 370,000 systems.

Other Presentations:

Capt. William Shepherd USN (Ret.) “Going out of the Box: Geeks Developing Unusual Prototypes for Small Military Units” (We have permission to quote him). Capt. Shepherd was variously a U.S. Navy SEAL, astronaut, commander of the first International Space Station, USSOCOM’s first science officer, and an engineer, as well as a life-long teacher. His program at present is to inspire young engineering students to solve small unit problems. He’s having a lot of success and is quite inspirational.

Garry Leach from Maxord Systems presented the FLY-K, a “silent” grenade/mortar launching system.

There are too many other presentations from U.K. and other military, contractors, manufacturers, and researchers for us to list in this space. Suffice it to say, it’s quite an interesting and well-attended event.

The show itself had about 30 display groups, including Small Arms Defense Journal (We are the liaison between NDIA and Shrivenham, and I present a weapons threat evaluation every year.) Of note, Edgar Brothers, Viking Arms, Law Enforcement International, Pelican, FNH UK, HK UK, and many others were on hand to display and meet with U.K. and other military decision makers.

Close Combat Symposium Show Master Information

Next Show Dates July 2-4, 2024

Location The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Cranfield University, Shrivenham, U.K. This is to the west of London, the M4 motorway and easily accessible from the main London airports. The nearest large town to Shrivenham is Swindon.

Contact:
Lynn Anderson, Symposia Organizer
Symposia at Shrivenham
Cranfield University
Defence Academy of the United Kingdom
Shrivenham, Wiltshire SN6 8LA
Tel: +44 1793 785 648
Fax: +44 1793 785 325
Email: Lynn@symposiaatshrivenham.com
URL: www.cranfield.ac.uk/events/symposia/cc2

Focus This symposium is a special show with numerous papers being presented, a smaller trade show (30 vendors) that is comfortable for attendees to mix with the vendors, and a live fire at the COTEC range.

Dress Business informal, meaning jacket and tie, or business casual, depending on how you desire to present your company. Military are in duty attire. For the formal Regimental Dinner, the baseline for men is dark suit with tie, and for ladies, comfortable evening wear (no jeans or tee-shirts in either case). Mrs. Lynn Anderson and staff are on hand to help with your concerns.

Hotel Hints Local hotels are listed with the Symposia information package. Most vendors choose hotels in Swindon or out on the M4 Motorway area. There is U.K. military billeting for those who are eligible.

Power & Plug Types 220v 50-cycle, British 3-prong plugs

Country Warnings The Swindon/Shrivenham areas are largely rural with the historic city of Oxford located to the north. The only warnings would be in certain parts of London or other major cities. The conference is in a rural area that is very safe.

Cultural Hints The British are generally very polite, and the formal dinner is not to be missed by any who wish to experience a ceremony that is rarely seen by outsiders. There are protocols to be studied before attending, from how to “pass the Port” to what to wear, on to dinner conversation. A good guide to behavior in these types of situations is offered here. The 1850’s era “Guideline for a Regimental Dinner”, encourages “Abstainers” to toast the Monarch with water in their port glass. At times, you will see the following after someone’s name; OBE or MBE meaning “Officer of the Order of the British Empire” and “Member of the Order of the British Empire”, respectively. These are prestigious honorifics in British society, showing appreciation for service to the British Empire. These are not “knighthoods”, which would have other indicators.

Tipping 10% is generally fine in sit-down-to-order restaurants, less for a taxi. Taxis are either meter fare or “pre-booked” at an agreed price.

Getting Around Rental cars will have U.K.-style right-hand steering, and driving is on the left side of the road. Unless you know how to drive with a left-hand shift, order an automatic. We advise finding the first parking lot in sight after getting your rental car and learning the reverse geometry if you are a Euro or U.S. driver. Road roundabouts are common and do not pose a problem, always give way to the right, unless the road markings advise otherwise. Trains are reliable, however, ticket purchases made on the day of travel can be extortionately expensive, pre-booking is strongly advised. A good guide for the latter is at www.nationalrail.co.uk. Bus travel is both simple and inexpensive. If driving, the show is near Heathrow airport. Travel due west on the M4 motorway to the Swindon exit and look for signage to Shrivenham. For rail travel from Heathrow or Gatwick airports, take direct train service to Swindon.

Military Museums The Defence Academy Small Arms teaching collection may be visited by qualified visitors. Inquire with the promoters. In London, the Imperial War Museum and National Army Museum in central London are worth a visit. The Fort Nelson Artillery Museum is in Portsmouth to the south of Swindon, and the Royal Armouries are located in the north of England in Leeds, the latter houses the former Pattern Room collection of small arms and light infantry weapons.

Tourism Shrivenham is located within reasonable driving distances of the university town of Oxford, the Neolithic monument at Stonehenge, and Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. Try the following websites if planning a pre- or post-Symposia cultural visit: www.visitbritain.com or www.visitlondon.com.

Speaking of tourism, frequently, the Capel Military Show occurs the weekend before the Close Combat Symposium. It’s south of London, not too far from the show. It can be a great adventure for history buffs. This year, it’s the weekend after the Symposium on the 6^th and 7^th of July. As shown in the two pictures, there are a lot of interesting firearms, tanks, vehicles, and reenactors at the show. More information:  www.capelmilitaryshow.com

The increasing popularity of EnforceTac has led the organizers to extend its duration from the initial one-day show to three days, followed the day after by the start of the IWA International Hunting & Sporting exhibition which is held at the same venue. The show is not open to the public and attendance is limited to those involved in the defense industry. Highlighting the increasing popularity of the show was the greatly extended exhibition floor space this year covering three large halls.

Officially, more than 12,000 trade visitors, up from 7,235 in 2023, from 86 countries took part in the exhibition. Around 730 exhibitors, up from 540 in 2023, from 46 countries showcased their solutions in a display area measuring 30,000 m², up from 22,000 m² in 2023.

A feature of the show is a number of concurrent activities which, this year, included the Enforce Tac Village, an outdoor 700m² training area where noted police and military experts presented four daily sessions of live demonstrations. The Enforce Tac ‘Blackbox’ facility allowed attendees to test thermal imaging devices, residual light amplifiers, and laser light modules (among others) in a suitable environment. To make a change from walking the floor, the EnforceTac Fitness Test was on offer.

Earlier shows had a focus more on boots, bullets, and badges (to oversimplify), while the past decade has seen a vast upsurge in technical innovations such as drones and counter-drone systems. The former now providing reconnaissance and observation capabilities on par with their manned military counterparts.

Imaging technology continues to evolve and what was once represented by large, fixed installations is now offered by Novo Digital Radiography portable X-Ray systems.

This year the EnforceTac Exhibition Guide made reference to Law Enforcement & Defense, reflecting a greater and diversity of larger ordnance systems on display.

At the other end of the spectrum less-lethal systems were exhibited from handheld to backpack-carried units.

The range of firearms and calibers seen at EnforcTac continues to grow as the show now comprises a defense element. Continuing a recent trend, Turkish manufacturers of military style small arms continue to increase, as weapon platforms up to 20 mm in caliber were on display this year.

The next edition of EnforceTac will be held 24-26 February 2025 at the Nuremburg Messe Exhibition complex. For those who plan on attending the IWA International Hunting & Sporting Exhibition at the same location, the latter will be held after EnforceTac on 27 February to 2 March 2025.

The Korean defense market is booming. Until recently, the Korean defense industry served mostly so-called third world countries, especially Southeast Asia. But from the 2010s, things began to change… and from last year, due to the war in Ukraine, South Korea’s defense industry gathered the world’s attention due to that conflict’s “Cold-War” nature. South Korea is now the only country in the western block regularly producing more than 100,000 155mm artillery shells per month (the U.S., today, can produce around 30,000 per month), and can produce more tanks, self-propelled howitzers, and armored vehicles than any other NATO country. Simply speaking, at least in terms of quantity, South Korea has become one of the world’s defense industry powerhouses.

This industrial capability also applies to its small arms production. While South Korea still doesn’t get garner as much export orders as compared to other national defense industries, the South Korean small arms industry has considerable potential in terms of manufacturing capability. SNT Motive, the largest small arms manufacturer in Korea, still maintains production capability of hundreds of thousands of rifles per year. And combined with another South Korean small arms manufacturer, Dasan Machinery, the country can meet the demand for a considerable number of small arms. And with volatility of today’s world, nobody can anticipate when such demand might appear.

So, during this year’s ADEX (Aerospace and Defense Expo), a biannual defense expo in South Korea, there were a record number of foreign delegations and buyers. Most of them were interested in heavier products such as tanks, artillery, and missiles. But small the arms sector also drew many foreign visitors, and many small arms companies were eager to exhibit their latest developments.

SNT MOTIV

The largest display of small arms at the show was from SNT Motiv, as usual. But this year marked a special occasion. They’ve won a major contract from the South Korean Army Special Operation Command to produce its STC-16, the unit’s latest 5.56mm piston carbine. It was selected as the “Special Operations SMG” and officially became the K-13.

While the initial order is small, 1,710 units, there’s another trial underway for 16,000 more spec-ops carbines. Dasan’s DSAR-15PC was originally selected to fulfill this larger order in 2020, but that contract was cancelled in 2021 after the company was caught up in a scandal in which it was found to have gained an unfair advantage in the contract proceedings after gaining access to privileged DAPA (a South Korean defense purchasing agency) documents that bore classified information about the program’s requirements. As a result, Dasan has been sanctioned and has fallen out of favor and the order for those 16,000 carbines is likely to go to SNT Motiv; and since the Korean army is considering changing their entire stock of aging K2/K1 carbines in near future, SNT Motiv may move to the high ground with the award of the special forces contract.

CZUB

Another interesting development is the relationship between SNT Motiv and CZUB. Together, they’re trying to sell the CZ P10M pistol to the South Korean military. The guns will be manufactured in SNT Motiv’s Busan factory. While SNT Motiv tried to make a polymer- framed handgun during the early- to mid-2000s, its attempts failed due to lack of investment and now the company has fallen considerably behind in its effort to keep pace with its peers in this worldwide market trend.

Now, the Korean Army is considering new pistols to replace its aging K5 pistols, and it wants to field a modern, polymer-framed, striker-fired gun. SNT Motiv realizes it can’t do it alone within the budget and time constraints assumed by the Army, so they teamed up with CZUB. While there’s still no official tender for a new service sidearm, it’s highly likely that the special forces would soon begin their sidearm replacement program (they currently use the K5) with the Korean-made P10M(STP-9A) thought to be the strongest contender.

DASAN

Another Korean small arms manufacturer, Dasan, is unlikely to hold a large Korean government contract in near future, so the company seems to be concentrating on the export market. The company showed their previous products, such as the DSAR-15PQ carbine, but it also showed the latest versions of its XR-17 machine gun. They have become somewhat similar to FN’s Minimi/Maximi lineup, since the XR-17 now comes in both 5.56mm and 7.62mm NATO versions. It has a rotating bolt/gas piston operating system, and now also features hand guards not unlike the FN Evolys. The 7.62 NATO version also features a shorter feed cover, which allows the main weapon’s sight to stay in place on the receiver while the weapon is reloaded. The company brochure says both versions weigh 6.3 kg (13.89 lbs.), which we cannot yet confirm.

MACHINE GUN INTEREST

While the South Korean Army is fielding SNT Motiv’s K15 (5.56mm) and K16 (7.62mm) as their next-gen, light and medium machine guns, special forces are searching for new lightweight support weapons lighter than the SNT Motiv-made K15, which weighs in at 7.1 kg (15.65 lbs.). Dasan may submit its XR17, while SNT Motiv would submit its shorter “para” version of the K15, which was also displayed in SNT Motiv’s booth this year.

OTHER EXHIBITORS OF NOTE

Until this year, South Korea had only two military and police small arms manufacturers; SNT Motiv and Dasan Machinery. But now another company is emerging; a manufacturing company called K-Tech opened a booth this year and showed its small arms lineup… Well, they were all guns from Caracal, a United Arab Emirates-based small arms company.

Simply speaking, K-Tech is an off-shore manufacturing base of Caracal. Since UAE’s manufacturing capability still has something to be desired, a considerable amount of Caracal’s CAR 816 Sultan assault rifle orders were also produced by Dasan (and that’s why Dasan displayed the CAR 816 in its booth for a few years). But the Dasan-Caracal partnership ends this year, and K-Tech is taking Dasan’s place. We don’t know what happened between Dasan and Caracal, but K-Tech will begin manufacturing Caracal’s small arms very soon.

Also, Caracal wants to sell small arms to the Korean armed forces as an offset of UAE’s Korean arms imports. The UAE has imported billions of dollars-worth of weapons, such as surface to air missiles and anti-tank missiles, and probably would import more. Naturally, UAE also wants to sell some of its products to Korea, and small arms can be a good offset item. If that happens in a near future, K-Tech would also manufacture those weapons for the Korean armed forces.

There were more than just Korean small arms manufacturers at the show, as the exhibition featured stands from Poland and Colombia. Poland especially showed large range of small arms including their new, polymer-framed, striker-fired handgun, the FB MPS. It’s a typical looking polymer-framed, striker-fired weapon with a chassis-type fire control unit, very much in the same vein as SIG’s P320 or IWI’s Masada.

ADEX ATTENDEE NOTES

Location: ADEX’s traditional home is Seoul’s Seoul Air Base. It’s not a commercial airport, but an ROKAF base, which is also used by the ROK government for VIPs. Also, while the name is Seoul Air Base, it’s not in Seoul; it’s actually in Seongnam City, a suburb of Seoul. So, locals will more easily understand when you reference “Seongnam Airbase.”

Website: seouladex.com

ADEX Organizers Contact: promotion@seouladex.com

Next Show: October 2025

Show Focus This show is especially adapted to SMEs looking for contractors. The main advantage of this expo is that participants receive pre-arranged meetings with business partners—the ideal occasion to identify future commercial partners and to meet buyers.

Dress: business attire

Accommodation: Finding good tourist hotels in Seongnam is not easy, but you can find many good hotels in nearby southern Seoul for around $100 to $150 USD per night. There are less expensive options, but you may have a language barrier at such places. But even cheap hotels are quite safe, so you can leave your bags in your room.

Transportation The best option is taking the subway (line number 8 or Bundang line). Get off the train at Moran (line 8) or Taepyeong (Bundang line) station and take a shuttle bus or taxi to the expo. Your best option is a taxi since it’s not that expensive (no tips required) and it’ll take you close to the gate. You can take a rental car, but visitor parking space is very limited. If you’re an exhibitor or authorized press member, you may be entitled to use on-site parking.

Power & Plug Types 220v AC, with EU-type electricity plugs.

Currency The local currency is the Korean won. The U.S. dollar is not accepted at most places, but you can use most U.S. credit cards widely. Check xe.com for exchange rates.

Country Warnings Violent crime against foreigners is rare. South Korea is one of the safest countries to visit.

Tourism You can visit many interesting places in Seoul. There’s a very large war memorial museum in Seoul, which is worth visiting.

Other Tips Avoid weekends and Friday to visit ADEX. Visitors are heavily concentrated during those three days, especially on Saturday and Sunday (public days).

The 12^th edition of the Defence and Security Equipment International (DSEI) exposition saw the return of the “new normal” post-pandemic with full exhibition halls and a record number of visitors and exhibitors. As has been the custom for many years the exposition was held at the EXCEL Centre in the London Docklands. According to statistics provided by the event organizers, attendance was up by 23% compared to DSEI 2019 (with DESI 2021 being something of a watershed mid-pandemic), the event hosting over 1,500 exhibitors, including more than 250 first-time exhibitors. As a globally recognized international event, it featured 36 international pavilions, that of the USA doubling in size from the last event. VIP visits topped 3,500 and international delegations exceed 100. The exhibition areas are two very large rectangular halls with adjacent docking facilities for visiting warships from several nations.

Many of the new exhibitors at DSEI 2023 were within “Future Tech”, including Sony, IBM, Oracle, Panasonic, and Palantir who were among the companies demonstrating the broad reach of DSEI beyond its traditional defense and industrial base. These companies exhibited alongside the traditional defense industry, including all the major manufacturers.

The exposition is sponsored by the UK Ministry of Defence which has large, single-service exhibition areas. The principal Army event of the show was the formal introduction into service of the Knight’s Armament Company (KAC) KS-1 5.56mm assault rifle (British nomenclature L403A1) as the Alternative Infantry Weapon (AIW) and the weapon of choice of the recently formed “Ranger” brigade. The KS-1 has a modified direct gas-impingement system and bucks the recent trend of piston-operated generic Armalite-type (AR-15) platforms.

Continuing a recent trend of Turkish manufacturers of sporting firearms moving into the production of military small arms, there was a large presence of the former at DSEI 2023. Among those exhibiting was Sarsilmaz with their 9x19mm SAR 109T sub-machine gun based on the classic M4 carbine type-chassis and yet another copy of the venerable soviet/Russian AKM, the SAR 15T which is reportedly in service with the Turkish armed forces.

Another Turkish manufacturer offering a number of small and large caliber small arms was Canik, previously best known for its handgun production.

Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited (AWE), formerly Ordnance Factory Kanpur who were previously part of the former Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) of India before the 2021 reorganization of the latter into seven private sector entities, provided a display of their current small arms and infantry weapon products.

Another AWE product is their belt-fed 7.62x51mm “LMG” with monobloc receiver the design of which is reminiscent of the Barratt LW240 design of some years ago.

Given the prominence of the show, market leaders in the manufacture of small arms and infantry weapons were in attendance.

The Germany-based manufacturer of small arms Heckler & Koch also previewed an example of their HK421, a compact lightweight version of their MG5 general purpose machine gun (GPMG), the latter is also thought to be contender in the forthcoming UK MoD competition to replace the in-service L7A2 GPMG.

SIG Sauer were present and showed examples of the XM7 automatic rifle, XM250 light machine gun, and 338 Norma Magnum (NM) caliber medium machine gun (MMG), with interest in the latter being expressed by several armies who wish to fill the gap between the effective range of 7.62mm NATO caliber weapons and the larger heavier .50 Browning (12.7x99mm) caliber heavy machine gun (HMG) with a man-portable weapon in the intermediate caliber approximating the size and weight of the classic rifle caliber GPMG.

The UK-based Steel Core Designs is an independent company traditionally offering a range of precision arms. At this show, the company unveiled a new rifle in a departure from its regular line, the “Black Widow” selective-fire assault rifle in 5.56x45mm NATO caliber. A new design that does not owe its origins to the generic Armalite AR-15 platform.

The SAAB AB Carl Gustaf 84mm recoilless gun system was available to view in the latest M4 configuration. First entering service with the Swedish armed forces in 1948, the M2 version saw widespread adoption during the Cold War period. It was a contemporary of the later Soviet RPG-7 grenade-launcher, both systems initially entered service in the anti-tank role. With the subsequent introduction of disposable, shoulder-fired anti-armor weapons the days of the “Charlie G” appeared to be numbered. However, the continuing need for a gun and selectable ammunition combination led to the introduction of the M3 variant and subsequent adoption as the Multi-Role Anti-Armor Anti-Personnel Weapon System (MAAWS) by the U.S. armed forces. Much lightened from the M2 configuration’s 14.2kg (31 lb.) all-steel construction, the M4 bi-material barrel construction gun now weighs in at ~ 7kg (~15 lb). Another feature has been the development of multiple types of warheads. The latest HE 448 round when used with the fire control device (FCD) 558 can be programmed to burst on impact or air-burst, selection being made while the round is chambered ready for firing.

The Polish Armaments Group PGZ (Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa S.A.), a holding company established by the Polish government to unite Polish state-owned defense industry companies, were in attendance with a range of their product line, including the GX Warhead series for unmanned vehicles and UAVs developed by the Military Institute of Armament Technology. Zakłady Mechaniczne Tarnów (ZMT) of Tarnow have developed a new range of small arms based on the generic Armalite AR-15 platform.

On show floor was the AJAX tracked armored fighting vehicle (AFV), a replacement for the British long serving Warrior AFV that has been at the center of technical issues and program delays. The AJAX fleet will consist of a number of sub-variants, and should no further technical issues arise, the prime manufacturer General Dynamics is expected to begin deliveries sometime in 2025.

Much in evidence in media coverage of the Ukraine/Russia conflict is the BAE Systems M777 155mm Lightweight Towed Howitzer which has been sold in large numbers.

The South Korean armored vehicle manufacturer Hanwha has been successful with several major export sales of their K9 Thunder 155mm self-propelled howitzer (SPH). The British Army is looking to fill the gap in self-propelled artillery after a significant number of the fleet of ageing AS90 SPHs were transferred to Ukraine.

The present conflict in the Crimea between the Ukraine and Russia has, to the uninitiated eye, raised issues as to the viability of main battle tanks (MBT’s) in any future conflict and this edition of DSEI did not feature large, armored displays, reflecting perhaps a wait-and-see mood in regards to what equipment will be fielded over the next decade?

SHOW REGISTRATION:  Registration for DSEI 2023 was online-only. No facility for registration on-site was provided. Prior registration (online-only) is expected to become an established practice going forward.

NEXT SHOW: DSEi 2025, 9-12 September

LOCATION: EXCEL Centre, London Docklands

Formed on 1 November 1992, Dasan Machineries is an important small arms manufacturer in South Korea. It tends to focus on export markets, whilst competitor SNT Motiv concentrates on serving the Republic of Korea (ROK) Armed Forces. However, there is a lot of crossover, since Dasan has regularly subcontracted to SNT Motiv for domestic contracts, plus it is offering complete weapons to the country’s military.

At the Seoul ADEX 2023 exhibition, held from 17-22 October, Dasan Machineries’ focus was on promoting the DSAR-15 family of weapons, these being an evolution of the ubiquitous AR-15 series. Prominent was the base DSAR-15P assault rifle. Kang W. Lee, Dasan’s Sales Division Executive Director, said the DSAR-15 has been continuously improved since it entered the international market in 2016. He also said the weapon had been sold to many countries – more on that later.

At Seoul ADEX 2023, a DSAR-15P with 14.5-inch barrel was on display. This rifle with gas-operated piston (note that the “P” designation in its name stands for piston) and rotating bolt, and it has a length of 33in (840mm) and weight of 6.8lb (3.1kg). It features an ambidextrous charging handle and collapsible butt stock with six positions. Its effective range is listed as 547y (500m).

Significantly, the DSAR-15PC 5.56 x 45mm rifle was selected in June 2020 to meet a requirement for 16,300 new carbines for South Korea’s Special Warfare Command. After a subsequent development and evaluation period, these weapons would have begun to replace the incumbent K1A carbine. The DSAR-15PC with 11.5-inch barrel had won out over the competing SNT Motiv STC16 for this program.

However, this Special Operations Submachine gun Type I program was suspended after an investigation revealed that Dasan had gained unauthorized access to government documentation about the type of weapons being sought. The president of Dasan and a former army officer were later charged. The country’s Defense Acquisition and Program Administration (DAPA) subsequently halted this procurement effort in June 2021, though it was recently relaunched.

The delay has likely put competitor SNT Motiv in a better position, as in the interim it has won the Special Operations Submachinegun Type II program with its STC16 5.56mm carbine. When the Type I program was launched, SNT Motiv’s weapon was only in prototype form, whereas now it is fully developed. One source told Small Arms Defense Journal that some of these shenanigans may be politically motivated.

Also on show at Seoul ADEX was the DSAR-15PQ 5.56mm rifle, with the “Q” in its nomenclature denoting a quick-release barrel. In advertisements at the show, this DSAR-15PQ was also referred to as the NGAR, standing for Next-Generation Assault Rifle. Unveiled just last year, the DSAR-15PQ is available with 7.5-inch, 10.5-inch, 11.5-inch, 14.5-inch or 16-inch barrels. According to Dasan literature, the version with an 11.5-inch barrel weighs 6.6lb (3kg), is 28.9in (733.5mm) long and has an effective range of 437y (400m). Its rate of fire is listed as 750-850 rounds per minute. A silencer has been developed for it too. Kang said the DSAR-15PQ has already been tested by the Republic of Korea Army (ROKA).

Also newly exhibited was the DSAR-762, a 7.62 x 51mm rifle with a 16-inch barrel, after its development was completed last year. It has an effective range of 875y (800m). It uses a gas piston and can fire on fully automatic, but its recoil is more like that of a 5.56mm weapon, Kang noted. The DSAR-762 weighs 8.8lb (4kg) and measures 35.5in (902mm) long, plus it is available with a longer 20-inch barrel.

Also available is the DSSR-762 semiautomatic designated marksman rifle chambered in 7.62 x 51mm. This gas piston-operated weapon has a muzzle brake, adjustable bipod and 20-inch hammer-forged barrel to create an 875y (800m) range. Its overall length is 40.7in (1.035m), it weighs 9.6lb (4.3kg) and 5-, 10- or 20-round magazines are available.

Elsewhere, the DSAR-47 7.62 x 39mm rifle with 14.5-inch or 16-inch barrel is targeted at countries that use AK-47 weapons and ammunition. Nonetheless, it is still based on the AR-15/M4, so it features interchangeable parts. Dasan completed the DSAR-47 last year and it is now in the testing phase. The version with a 16-inch barrel weighs 7.5lb (3.4kg), and it offers a 383y (350m) range.

Dasan has won sizeable contracts overseas, plus it has a factory in the U.S. known as Alpha Foxtrot. The facility is located in Duluth, Georgia.

One of Dasan’s most recent successes was a deal from the Philippine National Police for 5,755 DSAR-15 rifles with 14.5-inch barrels and a full rail interface system. The rifles will be distributed by United Defense Manufacturing Corporation in the Philippines, in what SADJ understands is Dasan’s first major deal with Manila. The national police force showed off its first batch of DSAR-15s on 2 October. Another known Asian customer of Dasan rifles is the Indonesian Coast Guard.

Dasan also exhibited 5.56mm and 7.62mm versions of its belt-fed XR-17 machine gun, which use a long-stroke gas piston operating system. First shown at DX Korea last year, the latter medium machine gun weighs 13.9lb (6.3kg) and is 45.3 (1.15m) long. With a rate of fire of 550-650 rounds per minute, it has a maximum effective range of 875y (800m). As for the XR-17 light machine gun, it is 39.4in (1m) long and has an 18-inch barrel. The “X” in the designation shows that the XR-17 is still in development. It will compete directly against the K15 5.56mm light machine gun and K16 7.62mm medium machine gun from SNT Motiv.

Unfortunately, Dasan has attracted some criticism over the quality of its weapons, both domestically and internationally. A prime example was a sale to Finland with rifles patterned after the AK, following a public tender. These were for the Maanpuolustuskoulutusyhdistys (MPK, which translates as the National Defense Training Association of Finland), which is responsible for providing military training to Finnish citizens. The MPK wanted a rifle that would mimic in-service RK 62 and RK 95 7.62mm rifles, and Dasan was selected to supply DAK47 weapons in 2020. They had several features such an adjustable folding buttstock, polymer pistol grip and aperture rear sight to replicate Finnish weapons.

However, there was a mixed reception to Dasan’s AK clone, with charges of flimsiness and production quality issues. A translated article on MPK’s official website dated 4 May 2022 stated: “In 2020, the rifles acquired from South Korea have not met expectations. Within a short period of time, there have been four malfunctions leading to breakage of the MPK rifle frame, which is why the weapons are prohibited from use. However, according to MPK, no personal injuries have occurred.”

The MPK pulled these weapons from service in the volunteer training force. Then, in January 2023, the MPK announced that Dasan would recall the rifles and provide an AR-15-based variant instead. Simultaneously, the MPK will obtain new AR-15-based 5.56mm rifles from Sako.

Another South Korean firm to exhibit at Seoul ADEX 2023 was K-Tech Firearms, which was only established in 2018. In 2020, DAPA licensed K-Tech to produce firearms, and in March this year it signed a contract with Caracal to promote its weapons in the South Korean market. At the Seoul exhibition, K-Tech had on display KCAR 816 and KCAR 817 rifles, which were clearly Caracal offerings.

Competitors for the aforementioned and resurrected Special Operations Submachinegun Type I program are almost certainly set to include SNT Motiv, Dasan Machineries, and K-Tech.

This was the ninth version of the International Exhibition of Technology for the Defense and Prevention of Disasters, including cybersecurity and drone technology. There were 27 countries represented at the show, 170 Peruvian and international exhibitors, and 30,000 Peruvian and international visitors. In short, SITDEF is a mature defense show, heavily attended, and prominent in the region.

SITDEF attracts many small arms manufacturers from outside Peru, but SITDEF is so much more. Vehicle manufactures, an entire section on arial drones, as well as a full cybersecurity conference are in the main building. In the entry building, rescue and fire services are featured. Visitors are sure to appreciate a show like this where the local military puts out displays of what is in use, as well as what has been in use.

Backgrounder: JAPANESE EMBASSY HOSTAGE CRISIS

On 17 December 1996 in Lima, Peru, 14 members of the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement took hundreds of high-level diplomats, government and military officials, and business executives as hostages at the ambassador’s residence in San Isidro. These people were attending a party at the official residence of the Japanese ambassador to Peru, Morihisa Aoki, in celebration of Emperor Akihito’s 63rd birthday. The crisis lasted until 22 April 1997. Túpac Amaru held 72 hostages that entire time. Called the MRTA, this was not the “Shining Path” rebel group but MRTA was also Marxist/communist and wanted to tear down the government. On 22 April 1997, after long preparation, tunneling, smuggling microphones in, and secretly instructing the hostages what to do to keep them away from the commandos who were coming to rescue them, the rescue began. It was fast, incredibly well executed, and all 14 of the Túpac Amaru members died in the assault.

During each of the editions of SITDEF, the heroes of the operation are remembered, usually featuring the actual diorama of the ambassador’s residence used to plan the assault, and many of the weapons of the dead guerillas are on display. This year, the display was somewhat toned down, but the event was commemorated with pride by the commando forces involved and attendees alike.

This brings us to a very interesting collaboration: the American company DS Arms joining with Carlos Tello Aliaga, Rear Admiral AP (ret.) for the elite DS Arms Training Academy, a firearms training center. He entered the Naval Academy in 1978 and retired from the Navy in 2013, always involved in the fight against terrorism. He was responsible for all planning on the explosive charges for the UEC Special Combat Unit, that allowed the entry of the commandos.

The DS Arms Training academy is near Lima Cienega. It is 16,000 square meters, with a 250 meter rifle range that can reach out to 650 meters, a 70-meter carbine range,  three 50-meter pistol ranges, a shoot house, and a high angle shooting tower. This is one of the best firearms training academies in South America.

Disenos Casanave International S.A.C. is a Peruvian company that is making a new M2HB mount, as well as a wide variety of munitions.

FAMILY DAY AT SITDEF

Some exhibitors tend to dread the “family day” if they’re not prepared. In the case of Peru, there is a tremendous public support for the men and women who wear the uniform, as well as a massive interest in the weapons and equipment. The tanks outside are popular picture spots, as are the various Special Forces and Marines who appear to really enjoy talking with the children and family members. There are lots of outdoor events in an arena atmosphere, like firefighter contests, demonstrations of rappelling, helicopter insertions and the crowds love this. The children have an amazing time, meeting the (to them) larger than life men and women in uniform, there is a lot of public education going on. As far as exhibitors, most clean up anything in their booths that is not child friendly, and either shut down for the day or enjoy some interaction with the families.

SITDEF SHOW MASTER INFORMATION

Next event: May 2025 (Exact dates TBD)

Location Cuartel General del Ejercito
Lima, Peru
Recommended: Entrance Number 4

Website www.sitdef.com

Telephone (+511) 578-1800
E-Mail info@sitdef.com

Focus Defense technologies (land, sea, and air) and natural disaster prevention, and cybersecurity.

Show Dress Most attendees are in uniform. Business attire recommended.

Weather In Lima, May weather averages a high of 72°F and low of 63°F. Rain is unlikely.

Hotel Hints Miraflores is a safe area of Lima about 20 minutes away from the exhibition. Go to tripadvisor.com for user reviews and ratings on hotels.

Power & Plug Types Power: 220 V / 60 Hz. Plugs: Type A and C (North American/Japanese 2-blade plug and European 2-pin plug).

Country Warnings Check visa and vaccination requirements before your trip. There is much debate as to whether the tap water is drinkable in Lima. Violent crime and theft are common, so be alert.

Cultural Hints Primary language: Spanish. Restaurants usually have smoking and non-smoking sections, so remember to ask for your preference. Lunch and dinner are eaten later, after 1:30pm and 8:30pm, respectively. Women dress modestly in Peru, showing a lot of skin will cause some to stare.

Cuisine Along with local cuisine, Chinese, Japanese, and Italian are popular in Lima. One much-loved subset of this is chifa, which is Chinese food made with local Peruvian ingredients. Coastal cuisine has lots of fresh seafood. Mountain areas have many unique specialties, among them cuy (guinea pig) and alpaca. Some recommended Lima restaurants: Jose Antonio (San Isidro, Peruvian), Wa Lok (Miraflores, chifa), and Bodega de la Trattoria (Miraflores, Italian).

Tipping Most restaurants add 10% gratuity, but it is customary to leave more if you receive good service. Taxi Drivers: do not tip. Hotel Porters: 2 to 3 soles per bag. Tour Guides: 15 to 30 soles per day. Housekeeping: 9 to 15 soles per day.

Currency Official Currency: Peruvian Nuevo Sol (PEN), but many places also accept U.S. Dollars.

Getting Around If possible, do not hail taxis. Arrange with your hotel for an airport pick-up and then obtain a reliable taxi dispatch phone number. Negotiate the price for your taxi fare prior to initiating the trip.

Tourism Lima Vision (limavision.com) is a safe, reliable and inexpensive tour company for the Lima area. Some of the most popular Lima sights include Museo Larco, Inglesia de San Francisco, Miraflores and the Larcomar shopping center, and the ancient ruins of Pachacamac. Most tourists who visit Peru bypass Lima for the Nazca Lines and Machu Picchu, but these side trips will take several extra days, so be sure to research thoroughly before booking your trip.

The Targi Kielce Defence Industry Expo brought 711 exhibitors from 35 countries, including 350 Polish companies. The trade fair hosted 61 delegations from 43 countries. This 2023’s MSPO exhibition covered a record-breaking area of over 34,000 sq m. For the first time in its history, MSPO display was also located in an additional temporary hall of 2,800 square meters Almost 26,000 guests from all over the world attended MSPO 2023. MSPO was visited by Poland’s President Andrzej Duda, who has granted his honorary auspices to the Expo. In addition to the president, the event was also graced with the presence of Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and Mariusz Błaszczak, Minister of National Defence and Jacek Siewiera, the head of the National Security Bureau. Korea was featured as the Lead Nation Exhibition;  the Korean delegation prepared was headed by the Eom Dong-hwan, the Minister of Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) of the Republic of Korea. The commanding staff of the Polish Army also took part in the event.

“The Kielce expo has become increasingly popular year-after-year. It is safe to say that it clearly contributes to the economic development of this region and the entire Republic of Poland,” said Andrzej Duda, President of the Republic of Poland, at the opening ceremony of the International Defence Industry Exhibition.

Korean dancing dragon

The South Korea Lead Nation Exhibition presented the country’s most outstanding and most important achievements in the defence sector. The display includes equipment ordered by the Polish army, such as Chunmoo missile launchers and K2 tanks, which are soon to be used by the Polish Armed Forces. The Korean defense industry’s potential was presented by 31 companies. The Korean expo presentation was complemented by a show of taekwondo masters and performances by the Naval Orchestra, accompanied by dancers in traditional dragon outfits.

Contracts worth billions at MSPO

Contracts worth PLN 100 billion were approved by the Minister of National Defence, Mariusz Błaszczak during the 31st edition of MSPO in Targi Kielce. Half of this amount will go to the Polish arms industry. Contracts concluded between the state treasury and the government of the United States of America concerning the purchase of elements of the WISŁA anti-aircraft and anti-missile defense system were also signed during MSPO. Poland will obtain 12 omnidirectional LTAMDS radars, 48 launchers of the PATRIOT M903 system and a supply of PAC-3 MSE missiles. Other agreements relate to the supply the Narew and Pilica+ programs’ components, NSM anti-ship missiles for the next two squadrons, and FlyEye reconnaissance drones. 1,700 of these uncrewed aerial vehicles are to be delivered by WB Electronics.  

About 20 contracts and agreements were concluded by the Polish Armaments Group on the first three days of the show, including financially binding agreements worth PLN 54.1 billion. PLN 100 million of this amount has been earmarked for Mesko in Skarżysko for ammunition, including anti-aircraft missiles. Some of the agreements signed during MSPO will soon translate directly into economic value; among them is the contract for the production of American Javelin anti-tank missiles in Mesko. The Skarżysko-based company will be the first foreign plant where Javelins will be produced. The contract value is expected to reach hundreds of millions of PLN.

DEFENDER Gala Awarding Ceremony

One of the last highlights of the International Defence Industry Exhibition was the presentation ceremony of the DEFENDER awards, which culminated the show. DEFENDER is awarded every year by the Kielce defence trade show’s Programme Board and the Jury Panel.  The gala began with state awards for people who contributed to the development of the Polish defense industry and to strengthening the country’s sovereignty and defense capabilities. On behalf of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda, the decoration was made by the Deputy Head of the National Security Bureau, Lieutenant General Dariusz Łukowski.

The gala was the occasion to bestow the two equal awards of President of the Republic of Poland for the product which best serves the purpose of the RP Armed Forces soldiers’ safety enhancement, other distinctions include a special award of the head of the national security bureau, the minister of national defence’s accolades and a special mention of the minister of development and technology, the award of the President of Targi Kielce and the Top Design award for the expo booth arrangement.

The awarding ceremony also saw the presentation of the operational commander of the branches of Armed Forces, distinctions of the commander of territorial defence forces, awards and distinctions of the head of the inspectorate of support for the Armed Forces, the special distinction of the programme board and awards of the president of the Targi Kielce management board, a special distinction of the programme board and, for the first time in the history of MSPO, the award of the president of the Polish space agency. Companies celebrating their anniversaries this year were also honoured.

We look forward to seeing you at Targi Kielce’s 32nd MSPO –  the International Defence Industry Exhibition. Save the date for 3-6 September 2024.

The Latest Innovations in Homeland Security

Milipol, the 21st Worldwide Exhibition on Internal Security, was held in Paris from November 19 to 22, 2019,  at the Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre with more than 1,000 exhibitors coming from all over the world. Here are some of the highlights from the exhibition.

LOCATION

Paris-Nord Villepinte Exhibition Centre, Paris, France

WEBSITE en.milipol.com

CONTACT 

NEXT SHOW

Milipol Paris 2021, October 19-22

FOCUS OF SHOW

Milipol Paris is the leading event dedicated to homeland security and safety. The event is organized under the auspices of the French Ministry of Interior in partnership with several governmental bodies. The show focuses on homeland security topics such as data protection-information and communication systems, economic and industrial intelligence, systems integration, risk analysis and management, CBRN, civil defence, law enforcement and forensic science services just to name a few.

STATISTICS

In 2019, the 4-day event welcomed 1,089 exhibitors, 31,185 visitors from 156 countries and 167 official delegations participated in Milipol Paris. 68% of exhibitors and 48% of visitors come from abroad.

DRESS

Business “informal,” meaning jacket and tie, or business casual depending on how you desire to present your company.

HOTEL HINTS

There are many hotels around the exhibition center. Consult travel websites such as expedia.com and tripadvisor.com for suggestions.

POWER & PLUG TYPES

230v 50Hz cycle, 3-prong plugs; may use 220V-240V.

COUNTRY WARNINGS

France is currently Level 2: Exercise increased caution: demonstrations in Paris and other major cities continue in France and are expected to continue in the coming weeks. Property damage, including looting and arson, in populated tourist areas has occurred with reckless disregard for public safety. There are currently travel restrictions due to the coronavirus, COVID-19. Consult the CDC before booking travel.

CULTURAL HINTS

In French culture, it is very important to greet people properly. It’s polite to say “bonjour” or “bonsoir” (good morning/good evening) when encountering someone, even if it’s a stranger. People are generally expected to behave discreetly, although public displays of affection aren’t uncommon. You’re also expected to speak in quiet tones, particularly in restaurants.

TIPPING

Tipping is unnecessary unless you feel you received excellent service; in this case, 10% is appropriate. Be aware that a 15% service charge is added automatically to your bill. Overtipping a server is considered to be somewhat vulgar and showy.

GETTING AROUND

The best way to get around Paris is on foot and by metro. Paris is very large, so you should take the efficient metro to travel long distances. The Régie Autonome des Transports Parisiens or RATP system, which runs the metro, also offers several bus routes around the city. Those traveling to Paris by plane can arrive at Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), about 22 miles northeast of the city center, or Paris Orly Airport (ORY), about 11 miles south of the city.

MILITARY MUSEUMS

The Musée de l’Armée (Army Museum) is a national military museum located at Les Invalides in the 7th arrondissement of Paris. The Musée de L’Armée was established in 1905 by merging the Artillery Museum and the Historical Army Museum. It contains 500,000 objects, including weapons, armour, artillery, uniforms, emblems and paintings. It houses the Napoleon’s tomb.

TOURISM

There is no shortage of landmarks to visit in Paris. The Eiffel Tower, the Louvre Museum and the Arc de Triomphe along with the numerous cafes and restaurants should keep one busy.

NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to en.milipol.com for up-to-date information.

Located in Milan, Italy, and held twice a year in May and November is the  terrific Militalia show. The event is held at the Novegro Exhibition Park near the Milan International Airport.

Militalia first opened in 1986, as part of the Exhibition Hobby Model Expo. Since that time, Militalia has evolved into a fabulous 2-day show with events, demonstrations, association meetings and a very large array of military collectibles for all enthusiasts of military collecting.

Of special interest to me personally at the show was the Association of the Decima Flottiglia MAS ( 10^th Assault Vehicle Flotilla). This WWII Italian Commando Frogman Unit was formed in 1939 and were the world’s first Frogmen. Their tactics and methods were later copied by the British Royal Navy and the United States Navy. Their WWII exploits and daring missions are legendary. The show has a large meeting area with lots of reading material and association members and historians who speak English, happy to answer questions and provide historical information.

In addition, there are many historical groups dressed in period costumes and uniforms with static displays of vintage military vehicles and representatives from historical and military museums in Italy and Europe.

One can find a diverse selection of military medals, swords, bayonets, ceremonial daggers, postcards, badges, books, headgear, uniforms and weapons accoutrements. There was a large selection of German, American and British field gear. I found interesting WWII photographs and especially WWII Italian uniforms, helmets and field gear that are rarely seen or found at shows here in the United States.

The U.S. collecting market as you well know is now flooded with reproductions, as many field gear items and uniforms have simply dried up and disappeared into collections; however, the Militalia show had an abundance of original WWII field gear, helmets and uniforms.

There were many deactivated weapons for sale including WWII rifles and pistols as well as German MP40s, Italian Beretta PM38s, PM42s, Russian PPsh-41s, British STEN Guns, German MG34s and MG42s and many others. Several dealers had a huge selection of deactivated ordnance, grenades, rockets and mines. I am not sure how you could bring these back to the United States with TSA rifling through your luggage at the airport. (EDITOR’S NOTE: Get an approved Form 6 to import!)

As a WWII collector I found an abundance of interesting rare items not often found at shows in the U.S. as well as hard-to-find firearms magazines, bayonets, slings and accoutrements at very reasonable prices. I even found some rare 1921 Colt Thompson magazines and a scarce original rigger-modified WWII paratrooper 1910 entrenching tool in nice condition.

I often wondered why the WWII D-Day paratrooper 1910 entrenching tool was so difficult to find in the United States; if you find one, it is more often than not a “fake,” having been modified in recent years and passed on to unknowing collectors as an original.

The reason I found one was simple after speaking with several experienced advanced collectors at the show. They were rigger-modified in England prior to the Invasion of Normandy, and almost all of them were used by paratroopers of the 101^st and 82^nd Divisions on D-Day. So if you want an original, your best bet is to continue your search in Europe, not in the United States.

In the outdoor area there are opportunities for the public to see and experience historical representations of military scenarios of various eras. What continues to make Militalia a unique opportunity is a tradition for those who like to identify themselves in a direct and emotionally engaging way with some of the most important events in history.

The show is increasingly taking on the character of a testimony of Italian national history. Speaking with some Italian attendees at the show, they told me that the political position of those who attended the show in the past was to some degree with embarrassment and concern over the risk of being accused of being “militarists” or worse yet “rehabilitators” of the fascist period of government.

However, the attitude has changed in Italy, and as the WWII generation is about to pass, many want to honor the surviving fighters and the memories of their often dramatic experiences. This does not exclude but rather extends the involvement of historical artifacts and memories of an entire generation in a way that the “militarism” of today constitutes a set of values, ​​regardless of their identification in the becoming of peoples and nations.

I attended the show with Italian friends from years ago while teaching courses in Italy. The food and wine were outstanding; however, the reunion of old friends was the best!

This was my first attendance at Militalia, and although not quite the size of the well-known “Show of Shows” in Louisville, Kentucky, it is certainly a contender. The next show is tentatively scheduled for May 9-10, 2020.

MILITALIA 2020: Show Master Info

Location

Parco Esposizoni Novegro

20090 Segrate MI

Milan, Italy

Website

militalianovegro.com

Contact

+39 02 7020 0022

Tentative Next Shows

May 9-10, 2020

November 2-3, 2020

Focus

Exhibitors come from sectors related to Armed Forces and state bodies, museums and historical military, weapon and veterans’ associations, industry associations and archaeological, historical groups in costume, static models and war games, armories and survival, specialized publications and shows and concerts with a focus on security and defense.

Dress

For civilian attendees, formal business dress is recommended. Military personnel should be in duty uniform.

Hotels

Visit hotel websites for recommendations.

Country Warnings

Due to the Coronavirus, COVID-19, travel restrictions are currently in place. Check the show website to keep up-to-date.

Cultural Hints

Appearance is very important in Italian social etiquette and you should be aware that you will most likely be judged first and foremost on this. When meeting and leaving, Italians (whether friends or strangers) wish each other “good day” or “good evening.” Where there is an existing relationship, Italians greet each other with a kiss on both cheeks (left cheek first). Punctuality is expected in Italy, and it’s customary to shake hands when meeting someone for the first time. It’s advisable that smart business suits are worn by both men and women.

Tipping

Tipping is not required in Italy unless you feel you received exceptional service. A VAT is already included in prices.

Currency Type

The Euro is the currency. The currency code for dollars is EUR, and the currency symbol is €. For current exchange rates, please visit: xe.com.

Getting Around

The bus lines are very efficient. The metro train system offers four color-coded main lines for 2 euros, and tram and bus connections fill in where they leave off. You may also bike or walk through the city. Many streets have restricted access, and parking is difficult to find, so it is best to avoid renting a car.

Things to See

There are many places and things to see in Milan. Visit the Duomo, vineyards, museums, hop-on hop-off bus tours, Sforza Castle, the Scala Theater, Piazza dei Mercanti and even view “The Last Supper,” Leonardo da Vinci’s masterpiece.

Tourism

Visit italia.it/en/home.html.

NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to militalianovegro.com for up-to-date information.

The 2019 Close Combat Symposium (CCS) was held at the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom (UK) over July 9 to11, 2019. Historically, it has its origins in the Small Arms and Cannon Symposium held for many years at the same venue.

The themes of the symposium this year were to “consider trends and developments in small arms, dismounted weapon systems, ammunition, sensors, optics and protective clothing and equipment. The revised theme of 21st Century Infantry also seeks to examine additional opportunities for capability enhancements in the near-term, some of which will require new development.”

The 3-day symposia has an established format and opened for on-site registration at 0900 hours on the first day, followed by a full day of presentations. On the second day, delegates were able to attend a manufacturers’ outdoor range day, where the opportunity to fire a number of different small arms types and view associated supporting equipment was provided. The final day’s presentations at the Defence Academy location concluded in late afternoon.

The lecture program consisted of short presentations on various aspects of mounted and dismounted close combat together with infantry weapons and ammunition, which provided wide-ranging coverage of a diverse subject matter area to cater to the varied interests of those attending. Over the 3 days, the program offered 19 formal presentations which included panel discussions after each segment and covered the following areas.

Day One

The first day’s presentations included:

• Keynote: The (UK) Close Combat Plan—British Army HQ
• The Future Threat—Defence Intelligence—MoD
• Land Littoral Manoeuvre and Future Commando Force—UK Navy HQ
• Transformation Fund—21st Century Infantry—British Army HQ (Unmanned Aerial Systems, Platoon Robotic Vehicles, Less-than-Lethal)
• Engaging with Defence Equipment & Support (DE&S)—UK MoD (Soldier Systems, Innovation & Experimentation)
• Force Development—Experimentation Opportunities—British Army
• Unmanned Ground Vehicles: A Strong Ally for Dismounted Soldiers—Rheinmetall Canada
• Development in Small Arms—Dan Shea, Phoenix Defence and Editor-in-Chief Small Arms Defense Journal

Day Two

Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd:

The Range Day was again held at the Cranfield Ordnance Test and Evaluation Centre (COTEC), West Lavington, on the northwestern edge of the UK MoD, Salisbury Plain artillery and field-firing range. The Range Day this year, which provided attendees the opportunity to view and fire selected infantry small arms, also included a demonstration by Rheinmetall Defence of their Mission Master Unmanned Ground Vehicle (UMV).

Demonstrations of equipment and opportunities to live-fire weapons were provided by:

• Beechwood Equipment Ltd
• FN Herstal (UK) (Range Day Sponsor)
• Brolis Photonics Solutions Ltd
• Instro Precision Ltd
• Qioptiq
• NHMD Ltd.
• Viking Arms (Defence)
• Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU) & Amvision-FCS13
• Rheinmetall Defence
• Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM)

Breakfast on arrival and a BBQ lunch were provided for all attending. The Range Day was followed that evening by the now traditional formal dinner held at the Swindon STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway. Pre-dinner drinks provided the opportunity for informal networking, the dinner itself being held within the precincts of the museum with musical entertainment during dinner being provided by a local brass ensemble.

Day Three

The presentations covered on the third day included:

• Precision Versus Rate—Cranfield Defence and Security
• Enhancing Dismounted Combatants Lethality Through Fire Control and Training Systems—FN Herstal (UK)
• Fighting in the Street—CR2 Streetfighter—Ultra Electronics/Royal Tank Regiment
• How to Ensure and Maintain Fightability on Close Combat Operations with an Increasingly Technology-Driven Soldier System—Systems Engineering & Assessment (SEA) Ltd
• Reducing the Error Budget—Infantry Trials and Development Unit (ITDU)/Riflecraft
• National Armed Policing Group—Civil Nuclear Constabulary
• When Computers Do the Wrong Thing—Captain W. Shepherd (Ret’d)—USN
• How to Overcome the Problems of Delivering Safe and Reliable Training in Close Quarter Combat (CQB)—Ultimate Training Munitions (UTM)
• Soldier System Integration—Tommy Works—British Army
• Connecting the Dismounted Soldier—Glenair
• UAV Enhanced Digital Networked Mortar Fire Control Systems—KWESST North America (Canada)

SHRIVENHAM 2020: SHOW MASTER INFO

LOCATION

Shrivenham, County of Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

The Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Cranfield University, Shrivenham, UK is situated to the west of London off the M4 motorway and easily accessible from the main London airports. The nearest large town to Shrivenham for reference purposes is Swindon. Note: In recent years, the immediate area of and access to the Defence Academy has been via the “Watchfield” entrance off the A420 main road.

WEBSITE symposiaatshrivenham.com

CONTACT

Leanne Lawson, Symposium Organizer, Symposia at Shrivenham, Cranfield University, Defence Academy of the United Kingdom, Shrivenham, Wiltshire near Swindon, SN6 8LA

For symposium details and administration:

Tel: +44 1793 785 648

E-mail: leanne@symposiaatshrivenham.com

NEXT SHOW

Close Combat Symposium, October 20-22, 2020, Shrivenham, UK

FOCUS OF SHOW

This year’s Symposium focused on current UK Infantry-mounted and -dismounted close combat developments and future capabilities and intentions, with opening presentations being delivered by leading members of the UK close combat community. Other presentations focused on infantry weapons, training and support to the UK civil community, supporting the Symposium’s historical Small Arms and Cannon theme.

A concurrent trade show is also held in the adjacent indoor hall that is comfortable for attendees to mix with the vendors. Numerous vendor booths covering broad subject matters related to the themes of the Symposium were available for attendees to meet and talk with industry during coffee and lunch breaks.

STATISTICS

Overall, more than 140 delegates from the UK and the international community took part in the symposia over the 3 days, making this Symposium, again it is believed, the largest of its type in Western Europe.

 DRESS

Business “informal,” meaning jacket and tie, or business casual depending on how you desire to present your company. Military are in duty attire. For the formal dinner, now traditionally held within the confines of the STEAM Museum of the Great Western Railway, dress base line for men is a dark suit with tie, ladies’ comfortable evening wear (no jeans or tee-shirts in either case). Symposium staff are  on hand to help with your concerns on this.

HOTEL HINTS

Local hotels are listed with the Symposium information package. Most vendors choose hotels in Swindon or out on the M4 motorway area. There is UK military billeting for those who are eligible.

POWER & PLUG TYPES

220v 50 cycle, British 3-prong plugs

COUNTRY WARNINGS

The Swindon/Shrivenham areas are largely rural with the historic city of Oxford located to the north. The only warnings would be in certain parts of London or other major cities. The Symposium is in a rural area that is very safe. There are currently travel restrictions due to the coronavirus, COVID-19. Consult the CDC before booking travel.

 CULTURAL HINTS

The British are generally very polite, with the exceptions perhaps of rush-hour travel in London and other major cities.

 TIPPING

10% is generally fine in restaurants, less to a taxi. Taxis are either meter fare or pre-booked at an agreed price.

GETTING AROUND

Rental cars will have UK-style right-hand steering, and driving is on the left side of the road. Unless you know how to drive with a left-hand shift, order an automatic. We advise finding the first parking lot in sight after getting your rental car and learning the reverse geometry if you are a European or U.S. driver. Road roundabouts are common and do not pose a problem; always give way to the right, unless the road markings (rarely) advise otherwise. Trains are reliable; however, ticket purchases made on the day of travel can be extortionately expensive, pre-booking is strongly advised. A good guide for the latter is at nationalrail.co.uk. Bus travel is both simple and inexpensive. If driving, the show is within reasonable distance of Heathrow International Airport; travel due west on the M4 motorway to the Swindon exit and look for local directions to Shrivenham. For rail travel from Heathrow or Gatwick International Airports take a direct train service to Swindon.

MILITARY MUSEUMS

The Defence Academy Small Arms teaching collection may be visited by qualified visitors. Inquire with the promoters. In London, the Imperial War Museum in Lambeth and the National Army Museum in Chelsea are worth a visit. To the south of Swindon on the south coast is the Royal Armouries, Fort Nelson Artillery Museum situated in an old Victorian fort (built during the Napoleonic Invasion fears in the 19th century) and overlooking the historic Portsmouth Naval Base. Also within the Portsmouth Naval Base area are the Explosion Museum of Naval Firepower and the Royal Navy Submarine Museum. Further afield is the National Firearms Centre (the former MOD Pattern Room collection of small arms and light infantry weapons) at the Royal Armouries main site located in the northwest of England at Leeds. Admittance to the former is strictly by prior appointment only; although the museum itself is open to the general public.

TOURISM

Shrivenham is located within reasonable driving distances of the university town of Oxford, the Neolithic monument at Stonehenge and Shakespeare’s home town of Stratford-upon-Avon. Try the following websites if planning a pre- or post-Symposium cultural visit: visitbritain.com or visitlondon.com.

 NOTE: All information subject to change. Go to cranfield.ac.uk/events/symposia-at-shrivenham for up-to-date information.